1. society
2. work
3. unemployment

Leading Indicators
for Workplace
Health and Safety:
a user guide
Contents
1 |Introduction
2 |Background
5 | Purpose of leading indicators
6 | Strengths of leading indicators
7 |Challenges
8 | Choosing a leading indicator
12
| Consider your goals
12
| Determine your strategy
13
| Factor in your experience
15
| Consider your audience
15
| Understand the limitations
16 | How to implement
16
| Training and maintenance
17
| Criteria for success
19
| Keeping it fresh
20 | How to use/
benefit from the information
20
| Trending
21
| Benchmarking
21
| Feedback/communication
22 | In summary
Note to the reader
The information provided in this user guide is solely for
the user’s information and convenience and, while
thought to be accurate and functional, it is provided
without warranty of any kind. If in doubt, please refer
to the current edition of the Occupational Health and
Safety Act, Regulations and Code. The Crown, its
agents, employees or contractors will not be liable to
you for any damages, direct or indirect, arising out of
your use of the information contained in this user guide.
This user guide is current to March 2015. The law is
constantly changing with new legislation, amendments
to existing legislation, and decisions from the courts.
It is important that you keep up with these changes
and keep yourself informed of the current law.
This user guide is for general information only and may
be applicable to assist in establishing a compliant health
and safety system at your work site. However, it is
critical that you evaluate your own unique circumstances
to ensure that an appropriate program is established
for your work site. It is strongly recommended that you
consult relevant professionals (e.g. lawyers, health and
safety professionals and specialists) to assist in the
development of your own program.
Copyright and terms of use
This material, including copyright and marks under
the Trade Marks Act (Canada), is owned by the
Government of Alberta and protected by law.
This material may be used, reproduced, stored or
transmitted for non-commercial purposes, however,
Crown copyright is to be acknowledged. If it is to be
used, reproduced, stored or transmitted for commercial
purposes, written consent of the Minister is necessary.
Acknowledgements
This user guide was developed with input from:
ATCO Electric
Chemco Electrical Contractors Ltd.
24 |Resources
26 | Contact us
27 |Appendix
Construction Owners Association of Alberta
Devon Canada Corporation
Enform
Imperial Oil Limited
Institute for Work & Health
Occupational Health and Safety
© 2015 Government of Alberta, Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour
Introduction
As an Alberta worker or employer, you likely understand
the need to promote a culture of health and safety in
the work environment. Occupational health and safety
(OHS) is an ongoing responsibility that requires time and
effort. That’s true whether your workplace has a few
workers, or a few thousand.
Maybe you’re involved in developing an occupational
health and safety management program from the ground
up. Or perhaps you’re involved in working to strengthen
or grow an existing OHS management program for your
workplace. In any case, there
are good reasons
to include leading indicators as tools for your
overall approach to measuring and managing
your organization’s OHS performance, and
we’d like you to consider them.
Leading indicators are aspects of workplace activities
that can be used to improve OHS outcomes prior to
an unwanted outcome occurring. A familiar example
might be the legislated hazard assessment and control
process: a preventative approach to reducing the risk
of workplace injury and illness. If changed, leading
indicators are expected to change related outcomes.
That makes them an important tool for managing health
and safety at work.
This user guide provides an overview of what
leading indicators are, and how and why they
might be applied to strengthen your organization’s
health and safety culture and performance. Some
leading indicators may be more effective than
others, depending on an organization’s current
level of OHS performance. For that reason, the
user guide considers three categories of OHS
performance: those that are focused on maintaining
compliance with Alberta legislation, those looking
for improvement (beyond compliance), and those in
pursuit of continuous learning for the highest levels
of performance. A tool is provided to help establish
which category best describes your organization’s
current OHS performance level, as well as sample
leading indicators for each performance category —
for your consideration.
The information contained herein is intended for
organizations that are looking for ways to improve their
OHS outcomes. Whenever we reference “organizations”
in this user guide, we mean employers and workers that
make up those organizations.
Although the use of leading indicators is not a legislated
requirement in Alberta, adopting leading indicators may
help organizations achieve their health and safety goals
to improve performance.
Not everything in this guide will be applicable to every
audience. This user guide has been compiled to provide
a broad knowledge base on leading indicators, and
to offer guidance on how they may be applied to your
organization regardless of current OHS performance.
The user guide is designed to have something for
everyone, whether you have never heard of leading
indicators, or need to get a fresh perspective or some
additional depth to what you might already be thinking or
doing. We
believe that the information you take
away on leading indicators has the potential
to make a powerful impact on health and
safety performance. Realizing this potential will
make some additional work and effort necessary, but the
ultimate benefits are worth it: improving and ensuring the
health and safety of workers.
Content is based on a review of related science and
expert opinion. Please sample and take away what
you think might be of benefit to you and/or your
organization. Most importantly, spend
some time
thinking and talking about leading indicators
and their potential to improve health and
safety in your workplace.
A U S ER G U I DE
1
Leading indicators
Background
Many employers have been collecting information about their health and safety performance for decades. Traditionally,
OHS management programs measure how well an employer is doing based on performance outcomes, like the number of
Year Year
Year
Yearor “disabling
Year Year
Year
employee hours lost to work-related injury or illness (commonly referred
to as Year
“lost-timeYear
claim”
(LTC)
injury”
(DI)
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
rates), the number of incident reports filled out, and/or the financial cost of Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) claims.
% workers
# near misses
% per 100 workers
These summary performance results, or lagging indicators, present
numbers that arereported
easy to count,meeting
collectpeer-to-peer
and
trained
observation targets
react to these lagging
indicator
numbers after the fact, and when it comes to keeping their workers healthy and safe, that may
not be ideal.
compare from one year, or one organization to the next. However, employers
Lagging indicators
Definition:
Lagging indicators measure the
end result of OHS processes, policies and
procedures. They’re a record of things that
have already happened. Since they record
things after the fact, they inform a reactive
health and safety culture.
2013
Year
1
Year
2
Year
3
# workplace
incidents
Year
1
Year
2
Year
3
# disabling
injuries
Year
1
Year
2
Year
3
WCB
premium rates
Lagging indicators can be useful when identifying trends in past performance. Their long history of use has made for an
accepted benchmark standard both within and across industries. Lagging indicators are well understood, are widely used
in Canada, and provide a good sense of how well an organization’s existing OHS system is working, or how poorly.
As the numbers go up, down, or stay the same from one year to the next, the bottom line of an organization’s health
and safety performance may become clear.
But the bottom line is never the whole story. It’s typically the end result of many factors.
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LE AD I N G IN D IC AT ORS F OR W OR KPL ACE HEALTH AND SAFETY:
Lagging indicators
have their limitations
Lagging indicators don’t pinpoint where an OHS
program might need improvement; only that it does
(if it does), and how badly. Since lagging indicators don’t
explain the “why” behind the bottom line, organizations
may tend to respond with broad, generalized corrective
actions. Resources can be spread thin and progress
can be bogged down in a pattern of stops and starts.
Lagging indicators don’t
provide the full picture.
When managers see a low
injury rate, they may become
complacent and put safety on
the bottom of their to-do list, when in fact,
there are numerous risk factors present
in the workplace that could contribute to
future injuries, illnesses or deaths.
The information gap between bottom line OHS outcomes
and the factors leading up to them is painfully obvious
in cases of occupational illness and disease. Outcomes
(e.g. occupational cancers, noise-induced hearing loss)
can take many years to appear or be diagnosed. Lagging
indicators fail to flag or measure gradual impairment.
information that is reported for lagging indicator
outcomes may be tainted by personal bias, or diluted
through fear of punishment. Incentives to report can
also skew the results in the opposite direction. The
more weight an organization places on health and
safety outcomes (i.e. performance bonuses), the less
reliable the data behind lagging indicators can be.
In an ideal world, lagging indicators are a measure
of diminishing returns. As an organization works
toward the ultimate goals of zero loss – zero harm,
the number of lagging indicator measures will drop
(e.g. lost-time claims, disabling injury rates). This
means the closer the organization gets to this health
and safety goal, the fewer lagging indicator measures
(e.g. numbers, rates, statistics) it has available to propel
ongoing improvement.
Lagging indicators are an indisputable record of past
performance and that is of considerable value. But as
organizations work to improve their OHS management
practices and performance, they may want to consider
supplementing the information lagging indicators
provide with data from the other end of the spectrum.
They may want to introduce
leading indicators
to help chart the road ahead.
Lagging indicators measure negative, or unwanted
outcomes such as injuries, illnesses or deaths. It’s an
approach that can impair an organization’s efforts at
building a positive safety culture. Waiting for the damage
to be done before addressing the risks may send a
message that worker health and safety isn’t a priority.
As well, focusing solely on negative outcomes may
erode worker morale and slow the drive for continuous
improvement. A
positive, proactive approach to
health and safety can have significant and
measureable benefits.
Since lagging indicators record unwanted outcomes,
people are naturally reluctant to be counted in. The
A U S ER G U I DE
3
Background
Definition:
Leading indicators
Leading indicators focus on future
health and safety performance with the intent
of continuous improvement. They are a signal
and monitor of what is being done on an
ongoing basis to prevent worker illness
and injury.
Year
1
Year
2
Year
3
% workers
trained
Leading indicators represent a different, but
complementary way of addressing occupational
health and safety — from the front end (a signal),
with an eye to preventing harm before it happens.
The organization’s specific health and safety activities
and overall goals are the focus here.
When used effectively, leading indicators target select
areas of an organization’s OHS management program
to determine if specific goals are being met and
expected benefits are being realized. To
be effective,
the link between what leading indicators
measure and the desired outcome should
be clear. It’s a cause and effect relationship so you’ll
want to think about how what you measure impacts
your outcome.
Year
1
Year Year
2
3
# near misses
reported
Year
1
Year
2
Year
3
% per 100 workers
meeting peer-to-peer
observation targets
How many of the hazards flagged during
hazard assessments have been controlled?
We would expect to see a link between addressing this
Lagging indicators
leading indicator (i.e. more controls in place — cause)
and the desired outcome (i.e. fewer incidents — effect).
What per cent of workers have received
OHS training for a new piece of equipment
(cause)? A2013
low number here could help to explain
undesirable outcomes such as equipment malfunction
or poor adoption of the equipment (effect). Addressing
Year Year Year
Year Year Year
Year Year Year
this
indicator
of
1 leading
2
3
1 could
2 drive
3 positive
1 change
2
3
the outcome.
# workplace
incidents
# disabling
injuries
WCB
premium rates
How many people in the office know the
organization’s specific health and safety
policy (cause)? Just about everyone?
Simply talking about your expectations around health
and safety at work is unlikely to improve performance
outcomes (effect). Discussion is always important,
but it needs to be paired with action.
4
LE AD I N G IN D IC AT ORS F OR W OR KPL ACE HEALTH AND SAFETY:
Purpose of leading indicators
OHS management programs are in place to ensure
workers go home healthy and safe at the end of the day,
every day. But it’s not enough to introduce health and
safety processes into the workplace and hope they do
the trick. What’s needed is to measure their effectiveness
on an ongoing basis, include them in OHS performance
discussions, and make adjustments as appropriate.
Leading indicators can be a useful tool to help
organizations track, measure and adjust their OHSrelated activities so they can effectively direct their health
and safety performance and avoid incidents/harm.
Because they are able to target specific aspects of the
organization’s health and safety management program,
leading indicators can provide equally specific insight
into the strengths and weaknesses of that program.
In the example on the right, the point of observation
(the leading indicator) is basic: are workers following
safe work procedures or not? But if that measure were
to include recording the nature of the task at hand
(i.e. extensive morning prep or single cutting event),
the results may reveal that non-compliance has more
to do with a perceived need for speed than a lack of
safety training. A strong health and safety culture will
not put productivity ahead of worker health and safety,
so addressing that worker perception (leading indicators)
should improve compliance — and avoid potential
incidents (lagging indicators).
A restaurant requires kitchen workers to
wear protective gloves when cutting
with sharp knives. It’s a standard
safe work practice the employer has
put in place and the assumption is
everyone follows it, but how often are
they actually doing so? A leading indicator can be of
use here. Regular observations can capture and record
this information (i.e. number of observations with/
without gloves), and corrective actions (e.g. additional
safety training, reminders of safety expectations) can
be introduced before someone gets injured.
A U S ER G U I DE
5
Strengths of
leading indicators
Leading indicators that are connected to specific OHS
program goals introduce a real level of accountability
for those goals. But beyond tracking progress toward
achieving specific goals, leading indicators can also
measure and monitor their relative importance.
They can gauge the connection between
policies, procedures, practices and activities
in achieving desired OHS outcomes.
Leading indicators can be introduced at any point in an
organization’s efforts to manage its OHS performance.
This flexibility means they can evolve right along with
the workplace, keeping step with an organization’s level
of OHS maturity/performance and keeping focused on
relevant areas to generate specific information/possible
solutions/corrective actions.
Unlike lagging indicators, which focus on outcomes from
the past, leading indicators reflect positive opportunities
for changing OHS performance. In the process of helping
to reduce injuries, illnesses and/or incidents, they can
help provide assurance and build confidence where
corrective actions are shown to be in place.
Leading indicators measure the inputs that people
are making to the OHS management process. They
measure the presence of safety as opposed to the
absence of injury. They acknowledge individual efforts
and, in so doing, can inspire a positive culture towards
improving health and safety performance.
Leading indicators work to complement the more
traditional outcome-based measures of lagging
indicators, and can be used to balance out some
of the limitations there.
Together, leading and lagging indicators provide a solid, bigger-picture perspective on what is
and is not working in your OHS management program.
INCIDENT
PREVENTED
2013
Year Year Year
1
2
3
Year Year Year
1
2
3
Year Year Year
1
2
3
% workers
trained
# near
misses
reported
% per 100
workers
workers meeting
peer-to-peer
observation targets
Leading indicators
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LE AD I N G IN D IC AT ORS F OR W OR KPL ACE HEALTH AND SAFETY:
INCIDENT
OCCURS
Year Year Year
1
2
3
Year Year Year
1
2
3
Year Year Year
1
2
3
# workplace
incidents
# disabling
injuries
WCB
premium
rates
Lagging indicators
Challenges
Organizations have been working to manage
occupational health and safety for many years, but
leading indicators are a relatively new addition to the
OHS toolbox. Even organizations with designated OHS
personnel may lack familiarity with and knowledge
around how to identify, implement and ultimately benefit
from leading indicators. The problem isn’t localized.
A general lack of standard practices associated with
the use of leading indicators complicates things for
everyone. As yet, there is limited scientific evidence
available to determine which leading indicators should
be used when. That means organizations are often
on their own to define the learning curve before even
attempting to conquer it.
While leading indicators are proving useful for
evaluating the status of specific goals within an OHS
management program, it can be difficult to pinpoint
the exact relationship between leading indicators and
lagging outcomes (e.g. total injuries, illnesses, fatalities).
If you know what you want to measure and
are clear about how it impacts your outcome,
then the relationship is much clearer.
It is possible to tap into the potential from leading
indicators with only minimal changes to what organizations
are already doing. But for those wishing to maximize
that potential, the level of effort and resources required
to introduce, track and leverage leading indicators can
be substantial. It’s a learning process for the very people
responsible for educating management about the value
and/or potential return on investment. Without clear
support from management, as with any other type of
employer initiative, introducing leading indicators can
be difficult.
An organization’s health and safety culture
is not defined by what management says
it does. It’s defined by real-time actions.
Workers are quick to distinguish between corporate
speak and genuine core values. Management’s attitude
and demonstrated commitment is the primary influence
on the status of health and safety as a core value in
the workplace. Simply put, as with any other part of an
OHS program, if
management does not actively
promote the use of leading indicators, it simply
will not happen.
A U S ER G U I DE
7
Choosing a leading indicator
An organization’s current OHS performance level is an important consideration when selecting leading indicators.
Leading indicators are most effective when they are aligned with an organization’s specific OHS goals. Accordingly,
what is considered suitable for one organization may not be a good fit for another, even within the same industry.
Below, we discuss three workplace environments that might require three different sets of
leading indicators.
Focus on compliance
Organizations that are in the early stages of developing their OHS program, or whose OHS performance
level requires improvement, can come up with a few key leading indicators to confirm compliance with
legislated requirements. Examples might be confirming whether hazard assessments are actually being
completed and ensuring workers are involved in the process. Then employers can build upon their list of key
leading indicators later by monitoring how many job tasks, risks and control measures were identified during
formal hazard assessments (information), whether or not workers know the results of those assessments as
legislation requires (possible solution), and addressing the hazards (corrective actions).
Focus on improvement
Organizations with more established OHS programs/stronger OHS performance levels (beyond basic
compliance), might introduce leading indicators to grow and refine their existing programs for continued
improvement. Examples could include asking what per cent of the workforce has OHS training beyond
basic legislated compliance, how often health and safety is discussed at meetings, or how often management
walks the floor.
Focus on continuous learning
Organizations with a mature OHS culture/a consistently high level of OHS performance (low incident rates)
can select leading indicators to drill down for deeper knowledge, drawing out information about their health
and safety culture. They might select leading indicators to track what per cent of their communication budget
is dedicated to OHS, or how many different avenues the organization uses to communicate OHS messaging.
Your organization’s OHS performance level will influence the nature and goal of your selection and
use of leading indicators. Are you struggling to meet the essential legislated requirements? Are you looking to improve
your organization’s OHS performance beyond those minimum requirements? Or is your organization already demonstrating
a consistently high level of OHS performance and wanting to raise the bar even further through ongoing improvement?
To help establish where your organization is at in terms of its OHS performance level, consider answering the Institute
for Work & Health Organizational Performance Metric (IWH-OPM) questionnaire on the next page. (It is also available
online at www.iwh.on.ca/iwh-opm-questionnaire.) Developed in Canada by a team of health and safety professionals
and researchers, this tool is proving effective (i.e. valid and reliable) in predicting injuries and illnesses within an
organization based on that organization’s current OHS policy and related activities.
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LE AD I N G IN D IC AT ORS F OR W OR KPL ACE HEALTH AND SAFETY:
Institute for Work & Health Organizational Performance Metric*
Please answer the questions in regards to the percentage of time that each practice takes place.
80 –
100%
(4)
60 –
80%
(3)
40 –
60%
(2)
20 –
40%
(1)
0–
20%
(0)
1. Formal safety audits at regular intervals are a normal part of our business.
■
■
■
■
■
2. Everyone at this organization values ongoing safety improvement in
this organization.
■
■
■
■
■
3. This organization considers safety at least as important as production
and quality in the way work is done.
■
■
■
■
■
4. Workers and supervisors have the information they need to work safely.
■
■
■
■
■
5. Employees are always involved in decisions affecting their health and safety.
■
■
■
■
■
6. Those in charge of safety have the authority to make the changes they
have identified as necessary.
■
■
■
■
■
7. Those who act safely receive positive recognition.
■
■
■
■
■
8. Everyone has the tools and/or equipment they need to complete their
work safely.
■
■
■
■
■
Health and Safety Practices
For the purposes of this survey an audit means a formal process of evaluating and reporting on how the organization manages health and
safety in accordance with a recognized standard (ie: CSA Z1000 OHSAS 18001 or a health and safety association audit such as the COR
audit). Regular means that an audit is repeated at regular intervals, for example, once every year or once every two years.
*Published by IWH and licensed under Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 International License:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/. This means the tool can be used and shared as long as IWH is credited as
the source, the tool is not modified, and the tool is used for non-commercial purposes only.
To calculate your organization’s current performance level, add your scores from each of
the above questions and divide by 8. Scores in each percentage column are indicated in brackets (0 – 4).
For example, a score of 4 means your organization is performing the practice 80 – 100% of the time and a score of 0
means your organization is performing the practice 0 – 20% of the time.
A U S ER G U I DE
9
Choosing a leading indicator
Plot your score on the line
Compliance
Improvement
Continuous learning
Score of less than 2
(0–40% of the time)
indicates your focus should
be on ensuring you’re
achieving compliance.
Score of 2–<3 (50–70%)
suggests expertise in several
areas but limited integration
within the overall health and
safety strategy.
Score of >3 (75% or greater)
suggests you’re doing many
things well. There is no single
category where your performance
is a significant issue.
With a good sense of where your organization is at in terms of its OHS performance level, you can start
thinking
about specific activities that drive your organization’s desired OHS outcomes. If those activities can
be measured, they are leading indicators and can be used as performance metrics for your OHS management system.
10
LE AD I N G IN D IC AT ORS F OR W OR KPL ACE HEALTH AND SAFETY:
Some examples of leading indicator metrics
Focus on compliance
■ Are action items being completed within defined timelines?
■ Are workers assessed for knowledge of hazards specific to their job task?
■ What per cent of the workforce has completed organization-specific health and safety training?
Focus on improvement
■ Per cent of leadership that is meeting job observation targets.
■ Per cent of job descriptions with specific health and safety accountabilities.
■ Number of near misses reported compared with the total number of recorded incidents.
■ Number of equipment inspections (including vehicles) completed vs. targeted.
Focus on continuous learning
■ Per cent of action items from health and safety perception surveys (e.g. safety culture or hazard
surveys) that are completed.
■ Per cent of workers meeting peer-to-peer observation targets per month per 100 workers.
■ Number (or per cent) of near miss findings communicated to organization.
■ Per cent of health and safety meetings led by management compared to target.
■ Per cent of near misses that have been scheduled for follow-up and have had responsibility assigned.
The list of potential leading indicators goes on and on and may depend on the resources and commitment available
for an organization’s OHS program. (See Appendix on p. 27 for a list of questions that might trigger discussion for
developing leading indicators relevant to your organizational needs.)
Understand that, in time, as an organization’s OHS management program evolves and OHS performance issues improve,
an organization’s tried-and-true set of leading indicators may become obsolete. If that happens, new leading indicators
may need to be introduced. As in other aspects of operations, continuous improvement necessitates change.
A U S ER G U I DE
11
Choosing a leading indicator
Consider your goals
Focus on the areas of your organization’s operation that
could have the greatest impact in terms of improving
occupational health and safety. Where available, you’ll
want to identify industry best practices for addressing
those specific areas, and then select leading indicators
that relate to the outcome(s) you are trying to achieve.
Some pioneer thinkers in the area recommend limiting
the number of leading indicators to no more than two
or three to start. It’s easy enough to expand your roster
later on, as you gain some level of experience in their
use. Taking on too many leading indicators too soon,
before you’re proficient at mining the information they
can provide, can dilute the benefits, and may lessen
their perceived value within the organization overall.
As well, introducing too many leading indicators at once
can make it difficult to pinpoint which ones are providing
the greatest benefit.
An incident occurs and, through
root-cause analysis, it’s determined
that improper training led to the
event. More analysis determines
that workers have reported improper
training to be a concern, and possibly
a contributing factor behind incidents over the past
12 months (since the trainer changed jobs).
To help prevent future incidents
we could focus on safety training
(a leading indicator), and
components of that indicator could
be worker satisfaction with training,
increased worker knowledge of content,
demonstrated knowledge of content, etc. In this
example, corrective actions on safety training (making
sure workers are properly trained to do their jobs)
could lower the likelihood of reoccurring incidents.
Determine your strategy
Make sure the leading indicators you
choose are believed to have direct ties to
the outcomes you are trying to achieve.
Otherwise you’re unlikely to see benefits from your
efforts. So, for example, if your focus is on reducing
fall-related events at work, you may want to track the
housekeeping practices in place to prevent slips, trips
and falls (e.g. wet mopping only after work hours when
most staff are not around). It wouldn’t do you any good
to track the number of workers with first aid training here.
First aid training cannot prevent the number of slips, trips
or falls at your workplace. Think
strategically about
what processes will lead to what results.
You’ll also want to be sure your selected leading
indicators align with the organization’s existing OHS
management program. That link is the only way to
ensure accountability for follow-up activities.
Leading indicators are meant to support and grow OHS
programs, not to redirect attention or resources away
from them.
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LE AD I N G IN D IC AT ORS F OR W OR KPL ACE HEALTH AND SAFETY:
Factor in your experience
If your interest is in measuring compliance, you’ll want
to select leading indicators that provide insight into
how well your organization is doing compared to what
current legislation requires. If you’re already meeting
compliance levels and are ready to grow and gauge
your OHS management program, or beyond that,
to pursue continuous learning opportunities, you’ll
want leading indicator tools to generate deeper, more
sophisticated operational insights. The higher your OHS
performance level, the greater the range of leading
indicators available to you.
Applying SMART principles can be an
effective approach to judging the merit and
guiding the adoption of potential leading
indicators. Does your choice of leading indicators
point to specific operational inputs and desired
outputs? Are these inputs measureable? Is there a
clear connection to your OHS management program
to hold people accountable? Are the logistics of
collecting the related data going to be reasonable and
timely? If so, they’re probably a good fit for your needs.
Specific
Measurable
Example scenario:
In the past year or so, several of
your workers have been involved
in motor vehicle collisions on the
job. You want to improve safety for
driving (outcome). To do that, you
might consider how often workers are
receiving mandatory driver training/refresher training.
This is something that can be easily measured by
tracking worker participation in training opportunities.
Since the training is a documented employer
requirement for the job (i.e. mandatory), it’s natural
to hold people accountable. And the information
(attendance records for training programs) is likely
already available. If attendance is not already being
formally documented, it is easy enough to start
tracking that information.
Conclusion:
How often drivers are receiving driver
training/refresher training may be a
good leading indicator for predicting
and promoting driver safety in your
workplace.
Accountable
Reasonable
Timely
A U S ER G U I DE
13
Choosing a leading indicator
Focus on compliance
How often are drivers receiving driver training?
Focus on improvement
How is knowledge demonstrated by workers following training/refreshers? Is training
improving knowledge and skills?
Focus on continuous learning
How often do workers engage in peer-to-peer training with new employees? How often
do workers seek to become trainers?
Choose leading indicators that reflect a mix
of activity-related and quality measures.
The temptation may be to focus on counting activities,
but in the end, it’s not the numbers themselves that
matter: it’s the quality of the information collected, and
what you’ve done in response to what you’ve learned.
Continuing with the earlier example, you can track
how often workers receive driver training (to confirm
compliance with an employer’s policy), or you can
conduct an awareness or perception survey to find out
what workers think they’re getting out of that training
(and then, if appropriate, adjust the training to improve
it). Target your approach for results that will have the
greatest potential impact on your desired outcomes.
14
LE AD I N G IN D IC AT ORS F OR W OR KPL ACE HEALTH AND SAFETY:
Likewise, you’ll want to look for leading indicators
that serve to identify trends instead of
providing instantaneous, one-off measures.
If mandatory driver training happens only once, as
part of a new worker orientation, for example, and all
new workers participate, there’s little to be learned
from attendance records moving forward. Again, the
value of leading indicators is in their ability to influence
future actions. There’s no real point to knowing where
an organization stands in the absence of any intent to
reposition it.
Consider your audience
Involve others in the process of developing
leading indicators. The selection should be
informed by people working in different jobs and at
all levels within the organization. Talk to the people
whose performance might somehow be measured
by the leading indicator selected, and to the people
who could be called upon to take, direct, or finance
corrective actions.
Goal of improving vehicle safety:
Driver may focus on distance
travelled.
Finance may focus on age
of vehicles/maintenance.
Supervisor might focus on work
schedule/speed.
Just as there is no one-size-fits-all set of leading
indicators for use across various organizations, there’s
usually enough of a difference between work groups to
warrant a more tailored approach to selection. In other
words, different
work groups may warrant
different indicators due to their work, due
to their experience, or due to their health
and safety culture. Alternatively you may have the
Remember: the more embedded a leading indicator
is in the organization’s OHS management program,
the more likely it is to receive buy-in and support at
the corporate level.
Choose carefully to avoid
introducing irrelevant or
obsolete measures. These can erode the corporate
health and safety culture by effectively disengaging the
workforce. If your meter-reading operations are moving
away from door-to-door service in favour of remote
access, for example, there’s little value in asking what
per cent of workers have been trained to deal with
aggressive dogs. Operational
changes may
prompt a shift in what it is you measure.
Understand the limitations
If leading indicators are a new addition to your OHS
toolbox, focus on a few key measures related to your
OHS goal that reflect the performance of a variety of
work parties or work areas. If you introduce too many
leading indicator tools you will detract from the focus,
or value. As mentioned earlier, two
to three leading
indicators is a good place to start.
Remain mindful of the logistics involved in collecting
the information. If it costs too much to collect and/or
implement, or if it’s too time-consuming, it’s less likely
to happen.
But don’t select leading indicators just because the
information is easy to collect. They must be meaningful/
relevant, or there’s no point. Measure
what should
be measured to improve performance rather
than what can easily be measured.
same indicators but different work groups would carry
them out on different schedules (i.e. one may have one
safety meeting per year while another may have one
per month).
A U S ER G U I DE
15
How to implement
So you’ve considered your organization’s current OHS performance level and have landed on
a few key leading indicators to add to your occupational health and safety toolkit. Now you’ll
want to put them to work.
Leading indicators are an evolving science. As you introduce the use of leading indicators
within your organization, know that there’s going to be a learning curve involved for everyone,
and that, on occasion, you’re likely going to be in the position of learning by teaching others.
Training and maintenance
As you introduce leading indicators into your OHS
management program, there may be a fairly substantial
level of investment/commitment involved in getting staff
trained up and comfortable with their use. If the value
is not understood at the top of the organization, the
resources won’t be made available.
For years, many workers and employers have focused
entirely on recordable incidents and their impact on
the bottom line. Lagging data is familiar territory, but
leading indicators may not be as familiar. Lack of
knowledge or understanding may explain why some
leaders tend to have a lower level of appreciation for
leading indicators. If the organization’s senior leadership
gets it, you’re well on your way to success.
Likewise, if those supervising workers do not
understand the value of leading indicators, there’s
little chance workers on the ground level/front line
will take them seriously. Front line staff engagement
is essential for many types of leading indicators,
particularly when you are looking to build capacity in
In your OHS role, it’s going to be your job to help engage
and educate all levels of management on what leading
indicators are, and how tracking them can contribute to
improving the organization’s OHS performance.
your OHS performance/maturity. Those whose
performance is being monitored and
measured by leading indicators should
be told about the specific indicators and
the rationale behind using them. There’s no
You’ll need their support as you move forward.
Province-wide OHS Contact Centre
Edmonton and surrounding area
780-415-8690
Throughout Alberta
1-866-415-8690
Deaf or hearing impaired
In Edmonton
780-427-9999
Throughout Alberta
1-888-232-7215
Website
work.alberta.ca/OHS
work.alberta.ca/
documents/ohs-bestpractices-BP020.pdf
Worker’s Compensation Board (WCB)
Employers must report any visit to a doctor for a work-related injury or
illness to the Workers Compensation Board. Call 780-498-3999 or
toll-free 1-866-922-9221.
Feedback survey
work.alberta.ca/ohsresourcesurvey
ISBN 978-1-4601-2131-3 (Print)
ISBN 978-1-4601-2132-0 (PDF)
SUPERVISOR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: AN OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY HANDBOOK
Think about making
information
about
Contact us
leading and lagging
indicators a standard
element of manager/
supervisor training.
mystery here. Knowledge is power and when people
understand the why behind the what, they’re more
inclined to embrace rather than rebel.
Supervisor Roles
and Responsibilities:
an occupational health and safety handbook
BP020
March 2015
BP020
16
LE AD I N G IN D IC AT ORS F OR W OR KPL ACE HEALTH AND SAFETY:
Leading indicators are not a one-time line item in the
organization’s operating budget. They face significant
challenges if approached as a pilot project, or just one
more health and safety initiative. Leading indicators
should be introduced and understood as integral to
the OHS management program.
These leading indicator performance measures are
intended to drive continuous monitoring and health and
safety improvement. They evolve with the organization’s
performance level. As a result, OHS personnel
themselves will require ongoing training
to competently, confidently and effectively
inspire continued commitment at all
organizational levels.
Patience can be noted as another expectation. The
benefits of leading indicators don’t appear overnight.
The results take time, as does the work itself. That’s true
whether an organization is starting from square one, or
building upon an established foundation. Organizations
with well-developed OHS management programs
probably already collect large amounts of health and
safety performance data that they can mine for potential
leading indicators. The challenge is finding the time
to commit to doing so, understanding what kinds of
outcomes they are after and how to link indicators to
those outcomes, and then finding the time to act on
what they discover.
Criteria for success
We’ve said this before, but it can’t be said often enough:
securing buy-in from senior management is
probably the single most important factor
behind ensuring success. Management gives
the nod for the resources you need to do the work,
and clearly that’s important. But beyond resources,
there’s the commitment of authentic leadership. Managers
promote health and safety as a core value by making it a
priority — no matter what. Failing this, individual measures
to manage OHS performance often fail.
Managers demonstrate the standard for the health
and safety culture that workers are going to adopt.
It’s not about what is said here. It’s about what is seen.
A conscious and proactive health and safety culture
goes beyond encouraging workers to report unhealthy
or unsafe conditions. It rewards them for doing so,
and for putting health and safety first.
And that’s why it’s so important that the selection
of specific leading indicators and their purpose be
understood and owned by those whose performance
is being measured. To secure meaningful data from
your selected leading indicators, you will require
worker support and participation. These are, after
all, the same people who may be responsible for
adopting any preventative actions that come out
of the process.
Workers may be inclined to see dictated measures, like mandatory personal protective
equipment (PPE) for example, as something that impairs their personal comfort or mobility on
the job. But if they are helped to understand the required PPE is there for their own protection,
they’re more likely to appreciate the benefits, and comply willingly with the requirements.
A U S ER G U I DE
17
How to implement
You’ll want to structure
the introduction
of leading indicators in a way that will
promote ownership by line management,
supervisors and workers. If leading indicators are
perceived as some kind of a pet project for health and
safety personnel, the organization will not realize the
benefits intended.
For best results, an organization’s selection of leading
indicators is a calculated process, specific to that
organization. But the nature of the information collected
is only part of the equation for success here. You’ll also
want to consider
who is involved in the data
collection, and how the collection process
itself is approached.
Remember our earlier example of observing kitchen
workers cutting with or without safety gloves?
The leading indicator there was straightforward
behaviour observation, but how the observation is
performed is important to the integrity of the information
gathered. Is the person who is observing the work
someone internal to the organization, or is it an outside
consultant? Has that individual been trained in what to
look for? Is the training or instruction standardized so
the approach to observation remains consistent time
after time? What do workers know about the observer’s
purpose (i.e. is their behaviour affected)? These are all
important considerations. They can influence the value
of the information collected.
18
LE AD I N G IN D IC AT ORS F OR W OR KPL ACE HEALTH AND SAFETY:
For the sake of data consistency and usability, it’s
important to be perfectly clear about the method
everyone is expected to use for recording and tracking
leading indicators.
How is attendance at health
and safety orientations
recorded? Is someone who
arrives at the orientation
30 minutes late receiving
credit for attending? Does a worker who
missed one day of a four-day training
session receive completion credit?
Develop standard questions, approaches and/or forms
to ensure the exact same measure is going to be
launched from the various platforms. Test the reading
level of perception questions. If the questions are not
well understood by each person answering them, the
results may be impacted.
The need for consistent delivery is equally important
when it comes to communicating what we’ve learned
from leading indicators, and our follow-up actions.
Leading indicators measure the performance of an
organization’s OHS program, and various components
within that organization. It’s
important to keep
feedback focused on process improvements.
Keeping it fresh
Leading indicators are integral to the continuous
improvement of OHS management programs.
The standard cycle of developing, choosing,
implementing, measuring, acting on and
reporting leading indicators aligns with
that of any typical management process:
plan, do, check, act. This is not a quick-fix
approach to managing occupational health and safety,
nor is it static. It is cyclical.
Leading indicators can help to motivate safe behaviour,
personal commitment and continuous improvement.
They evolve through the life of an organization. Where
lagging indicators lose their ability to motivate or
influence measurable safety performance improvement,
leading indicators can be ramped up, or new, targeted
leading indicators can be introduced to advance
workplace health and safety.
op
vel
de
ing
Leading indicators provide endless opportunity to keep
your OHS management program fresh and moving
forward. The challenge is in holding off on introducing
too many leading indicators too soon, or prematurely
dismissing a leading indicator that’s been on the radar
for some time, but continues to provide valuable insight
into your organization’s health and safety performance.
ch
oo
s
g
in
p
ct
ch
implement
i
reporting
Once you’ve established the organization’s
compliance in conducting hazard
assessments, for example, you can
move on and start focusing on areas of
advanced investigation. You might start
monitoring the percentage of controls
that have been introduced, or maybe
the number of workers that have been
involved in the process.
do
lan
Thankfully there’s no shortage of fresh replacements.
In fact, the closer an organization gets to the end goal
of zero loss – zero harm, the more targeted their leading
indicator performance tools can be.
k
ec
a
on
ng
me
A U S ER G U I DE
19
a su
ring
ac
tin
g
How to use/
benefit from the information
As we’ve seen, an organization’s OHS performance/maturity level will strongly influence
what leading indicators they choose to use, and how they’ll apply the information generated.
The tools and the messaging around using them are different at different levels of performance.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to how best to leverage the results.
Trending
The use of leading indicators for evaluating health and
safety performance is a relatively new approach. It’s
an approach that does not align well with traditional
(lagging) OHS reporting practices, or standard
benchmarks. The broad range of leading indicator
tools, and the highly customized nature of what’s being
measured from one organization to the next makes
comparisons between organizations unlikely without
significant cooperative efforts. In-house measures
are apt to change as performance levels
improve, so keep this in mind if you are
tracking results internally over several years.
The huge advantage that leading indicators have over
lagging outputs alone is their ability to flag potential
risks before any harm results. They have the ability to
drive corrective action. The link between the leading
indicator and the corresponding target outcome may
be confirmed if the lagging indicator trends downward.
The right corrective actions will prevent incident.
Trending with leading indicators is more about
establishing thresholds (beyond which corrective
actions are recommended), than about setting targets
and then tracking those.
Moreover, the use of leading indicators sends the
leadership message that safety is important. It tells the
worker: “We want you to take time to do this leading
activity because your safety is a priority.” Even if a
potential risk is not found and fixed, it helps to embed
and sustain the health and safety culture.
A leading indicator may be the per cent
of trained workers. Over time we see
evidence (lagging indicators) that more
trained workers translates into fewer
incidents/less harm. In response, the
organization provides more training.
incidents
trained
workers
20
LE AD I N G IN D IC AT ORS F OR W OR KPL ACE HEALTH AND SAFETY:
Benchmarking
As an organization you may want to know how
you’re performing relative to others in your industry.
It’s always nice to know if you are a top performer, but
it’s important to understand the relativity of benchmark
results. If others in the industry are performing poorly,
even an average performance on your part can profile
you as an industry leader.
the IWH-OPM on p. 9) that allows you to score and
benchmark your organization’s health and safety
performance against firms in your sector. Visit
www.iwh.on.ca/olipsurvey and complete the online
survey if you’re interested.
Your score could be a great place to start a discussion
about leading indicators within your organization.
Through the Ontario Leading Indicators Project,
the Institute for Work & Health has developed a
comprehensive set of leading indicators (including
Feedback/communication
The success your organization realizes from its
use of leading indicators will be determined by
how effectively it communicates the results.
It’s important to actively
and openly share your
findings with all levels of the organization
that are invested. This includes everyone from the
executives and senior management that make decisions
about how resources have been and will be allocated
in the future (a more formal reporting process may be
in order here), to line management, supervisors and
workers who will be responsible for introducing and
acting upon any operational change.
Sharing what’s been discovered with the people
involved in the discovery highlights the real value of
their efforts. Everyone can see how their individual
performance contributes to the organization’s overall
health and safety status. Positive reinforcement invites
participants to own those results. And that sense
of pride — of ownership, can ignite the will to drive
continued improvements.
As the organization’s health and safety culture gains
strength and momentum from within, your organization
can look forward to realizing continued improvement in
its overall OHS performance.
This feedback loop serves to inform, confirm and reinforce
the value of the organization’s investment/commitment.
And if managed correctly, it can do even more.
Unlike lagging indicators, which measure the final
results, leading indicators measure organizational
OHS performance in action, which means what
leading indicators really measure is the
contribution that people are making to the
OHS management process. Communicate the
results of those efforts in a way that acknowledges the
workers’ contributions and you rally worker morale.
A U S ER G U I DE
21
In summary
Healthy and safe workplaces are essential to the well-being of workers and their employers.
This requires an ongoing understanding that efforts must be grown and sustained. Tools or
strategies that can help an organization improve its health and safety performance are worthy
of consideration, particularly when they can be customized to suit the unique situations found
in any workplace for any type of organization.
Leading indicators represent a means for organizations to improve the performance of their
existing OHS management systems on an ongoing basis. Rather than relying on lagging
indicators, such as annual tallies of workplace incidents, lost-time claims, or WCB premium
rates, organizations can use leading indicators to take proactive, preventative actions —
when needed, as needed.
This user guide has provided information on what leading indicators are and how your
organization might select, use and benefit from them. We would like you to spend time thinking
and talking about leading indicators at places where you work: to consider using leading
indicators as one more tool to help you achieve — and evolve — your organization’s health and
safety goals and performance.
22
LE AD I N G IN D IC AT ORS F OR W OR KPL ACE HEALTH AND SAFETY:
Thinking points for
leading indicators
Here are some points to think about as you consider adding leading indicators to your
health and safety management system. These points apply regardless of your level of
OHS performance.
Consider who is involved
in the collection of data, and
how the collection process
itself is approached.
Choose leading indicators that reflect
a mix of activity-related and quality
measures. The quality of the information
collected and what you do with what
you learn is what matters in the end.
Consider making information about
leading and lagging indicators a
standard element of manager/
supervisor training. You’re going to
need their support in the process.
Your organization’s
OHS performance level
will influence the nature and
goal of your selection and
use of leading indicators.
The standard cycle of developing,
choosing, implementing, measuring,
acting on and reporting leading
indicators aligns with that of any
typical management process:
plan – do – check – act.
Introduce leading indicators
in a way that will promote
ownership at all levels of the
organization: management,
supervisors and workers.
Start by thinking about
what specific activities
drive your organization’s
desired OHS outcomes.
To be effective, the link between
what leading indicators measure and
the desired outcome should be clear.
Know what you want to measure and be
clear about how it impacts your outcome.
Share information about the
specific indicators and the
rationale for using them with the
people whose performance is
being monitored and measured.
Think strategically about
what processes will lead
to what results.
Different work groups may warrant
different indicators. Consider the
nature of the work, the experience
of the workers and the prevalent
health and safety culture as part
of your selection process.
Actively and openly
share your findings with all
levels of the organization
that are invested.
If management does not
actively promote the use of leading
indicators, it will not happen.
Look for leading indicators
that serve to identify
trends instead of providing
instantaneous, one-off measures.
Limit the number of leading
indicators to no more than
two or three to start.
Avoid introducing irrelevant or obsolete
measures. Operational changes may
prompt a shift in what it is you measure.
Keep feedback focused on
OHS process improvements.
Apply SMART principles when
selecting individual leading indicators.
Specific Measurable Accountable
Reasonable Timely
A U S ER G U I DE
23
Resources
Occupational Health and Safety Legislation
A copy of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, Regulations and Code, and OHS Code Explanation Guide, together
with this user guide can provide an excellent foundation for building a strong health and safety culture in your workplace.
This user guide is current to March 2015.
The current OHS legislation is available on the website at:
work.alberta.ca/ohs-legislation
Official printed versions of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, Regulations and
Code Handbook and OHS Code Explanation Guide, may be purchased from Alberta
Queen’s Printer:
qp.alberta.ca
7th floor Park Plaza Building
10611 – 98 Avenue NW
Edmonton, AB T5K 2P7
Phone: 780-427-4952
Fax:
780-452-0668
Email: [email protected]
24
LE AD I N G IN D IC AT ORS F OR W OR KPL ACE HEALTH AND SAFETY:
Additional resources
Government of Alberta – OHS Legislation
work.alberta.ca/ohs-legislation
Government of Alberta – OHS eLearning Programs
work.alberta.ca/ohs-elearning
Government of Alberta –
Hazard Assessment and Control: a handbook for Alberta employers and workers [BP018]
work.alberta.ca/documents/ohs-best-practices-BP018.pdf
Government of Alberta –
Supervisors Roles and Responsibilities: an occupational health and safety handbook [BP020]
work.alberta.ca/documents/ohs-best-practices-BP020.pdf
Institute for Work & Health – Organizational Performance Metric (IWH-OPM)
iwh.on.ca/opm
A U S ER G U I DE
25
Contact us
Province-wide OHS Contact Centre
For general information or to order publications:
Edmonton and surrounding area
780-415-8690
Throughout Alberta
1-866-415-8690
For the deaf or hard-of-hearing (TDD/TTY)
In Edmonton
780-427-9999
Throughout Alberta
1-800-232-7215
Website
work.alberta.ca/OHS
Feedback survey
work.alberta.ca/ohsresourcesurvey
26
LE AD I N G IN D IC AT ORS F OR W OR KPL ACE HEALTH AND SAFETY:
Appendix
Discussion questions to help develop leading indicators that
are relevant and specific to your occupational health and
safety system
Below are headings that relate to common and useful categories of leading indicators. These may help to focus your
organization’s attention when looking at ways to implement leading indicators into your occupational health and safety
management system.
The questions are intended to stimulate discussion within organizations looking to implement leading indicators
into their OHS management systems. The examples provided are just that — examples. The list of questions is not
intended to be exhaustive. It’s a starting point.
PLEASE NOTE: The following questions are to determine options for performance beyond
minimum legislated requirements. In case of uncertainty or discrepancy, please refer to Alberta’s
occupational health and safety legislation and/or the OHS Code Explanation Guide for clarification.
1. Hazard identification and assessment
2. Hazard control
How are analyses of work and associated
hazards developed? Who is involved? How are
they kept current?
ow often does preventative equipment
H
maintenance happen? Is this regularly scheduled?
ow is responsibility for equipment maintenance
H
made clear? How are maintenance records
managed?
How are hazards identified in hazard analyses?
Is management/leadership involved?
How are hazards prioritized after identification?
ow are controls identified in hazard analyses?
H
Is management/leadership involved in checking
proper use of controls?
ow is information from hazard assessments made
H
available? Is information readily available in the field?
ow does management/leadership evaluate training
H
to ensure workers are properly trained in controls?
HAZARD ASSESSMENT AND CONTROL: A HANDBOOK FOR ALBERTA EMPLOYERS AND WORKERS
work.alberta.ca/
documents/ohs-bestpractices-BP018.pdf
Contact us
Province-wide OHS Contact Centre
Website
For general information or to order publications:
work.alberta.ca/OHS
Edmonton and surrounding area
780-415-8690
Feedback survey
Throughout Alberta
1-866-415-8690
work.alberta.ca/ohsresourcesurvey
Deaf or hearing impaired
In Edmonton
780-427-9999
Throughout Alberta
1-888-232-7215
ISBN 978-1-4601-2152-8 (Print)
ISBN 978-1-4601-2153-5 (PDF)
ow does management/leadership research,
H
understand and implement industry standards?
How are workers involved?
ow are “lessons learned” shared? Is this
H
information shared broadly within the industry?
Hazard Assessment
and Control:
a handbook for Alberta
employers and workers
BP018
March 2015
BP018
A U S ER G U I DE
27
Appendix
3. Worksite inspections of PPE/equipment
ow are inspections done on PPE/equipment?
H
In accordance with manufacturers’ specifications?
Industry best practice?
hat is the process for inspection and maintenance
W
for PPE/equipment? How is that process audited?
ow are the results of inspections reviewed?
H
By whom?
ow often are PPE/equipment inspected for wear
H
and tear, etc.? By whom? Are accountabilities clear?
hat is the process for replacing PPE/equipment?
W
How are decisions made to upgrade PPE/
equipment?
4. Training and competency
ow is job competency assessed following
H
hiring? Is this repeated? Who determines worker
competency?
5. Reporting beyond legislated
requirements
ow is PPE use and maintenance documented?
H
How long are records retained?
ow are safe work procedures recorded/
H
documented? How is information shared with
affected workers? How is management/leadership
made aware of the results?
Are staff safety activity expectations documented?
ow are workers made aware when the hazards
H
they’ve reported are mitigated or controlled?
Is information reported in all health and safety
areas analyzed for trends?
6. Job observations
re observational assessments performed for all
A
workers (management, front line workers)?
ow is worker health and safety ensured prior to
H
workers being deemed competent?
ow is PPE use and maintenance documented?
H
How are observations done on proper PPE use?
Are workers involved in this process?
ow is competency checked for those who train
H
workers in the use of PPE?
ow do recommendations from observations result
H
in corrections? How quickly does this happen?
In what formats is worker training provided?
How often?
How are worker suggestions for training handled?
ow do workers receive additional health and
H
safety training throughout their employment?
7.Defined safety accountabilities
ow do workers demonstrate they understand
H
their health and safety role in the organization?
Are these roles clearly articulated for each position?
How is this done?
oes management/leadership attend safety
D
meetings? How do they actively participate in
health and safety?
28
LE AD I N G IN D IC AT ORS F OR W OR KPL ACE HEALTH AND SAFETY:
8. Management/leadership commitment
to OHS
9. Staff/management engagement in
developing safety practices
ow does management articulate OHS goals and
H
expectations? What methods are used?
oes the health and safety culture promote peer
D
reviews and correction?
ow does management set goals and objectives
H
for individuals related to health and safety
compliance? How are these reviewed with staff?
oes management recognize (reward) workers
D
who consistently follow defined health and safety
practices?
hat are the consequences for workers who do
W
not follow health and safety procedures?
ow does the organization promote use of worker
H
teams to solve health and safety issues?
ow does management share health and safety
H
performance results with workers, both positive
and negative?
ow does management/leadership demonstrate
H
concern for workers’ health and safety? How is
this documented?
ow does the organization make health and safety
H
policy and OHS legislation an integral part of staff
orientation at all levels? How prominently does this
appear within the orientation?
re different media used to communicate health
A
and safety information across the organization?
oes the organization have safety resources?
D
In what formats?
hat is the process for workers to provide
W
feedback on health and safety related items?
10. Near misses
How does senior leadership demonstrate the
organization’s OHS commitments?
Is there a process/written procedure for reporting
near misses? What is done with the information?
ow often does management/leadership walk the
H
work site? Attend safety meetings?
Who is involved in the near miss investigation?
How are workers made aware of the results?
ow often are health and safety on the agenda for
H
management/leadership meetings?
How are recommendations from investigations
turned into prevention activities?
hat are the accountabilities assigned to
W
management/leadership for health and safety?
11. Survey tools
ow does management/leadership ensure health
H
and safety is mentioned in messaging to workers?
How does management/leadership assess the
health and safety culture within the organization?
ow does management/leadership determine
H
budget allocation for health and safety? Does this
adequately meet needs?
What is done with the results of health and safety
culture surveys?
How does management/leadership ensure high
worker engagement/participation in surveys?
A U S ER G U I DE
29
Notes
30
LE AD I N G IN D IC AT ORS F OR W OR KPL ACE HEALTH AND SAFETY:
A U S ER G U I DE
31
Notes
32
LE AD I N G IN D IC AT ORS F OR W OR KPL ACE HEALTH AND SAFETY:
Contact us
Province-wide OHS Contact Centre
Website
For general information or to order publications:
work.alberta.ca/OHS
Edmonton and surrounding area
780-415-8690
Feedback survey
Throughout Alberta
1-866-415-8690
work.alberta.ca/ohsresourcesurvey
For the deaf or hard-of-hearing (TDD/TTY)
In Edmonton
780-427-9999
Throughout Alberta
1-800-232-7215
ISBN 978-1-4601-2093-4 (Print)
ISBN 978-1-4601-2094-1 (PDF)
BP019
March 2015